Test Kitchen Tuesday for One: Hearty Vegetable Stew



Some weeks, I really search high and low for a new recipe to try. And, some weeks, they just fall in my lap. This would be one of those lap-falling kind of recipes.

2Chili is down in Bend with our pets while I man our Seattle place and go to meetings this week. On my own to make whatever I wanted, I had fewer requirements than usual. This recipe made it into my Twitter feed somehow, and I thought I was the perfect combination of end of summer/beginning of fall veggies. I was able to make this entirely with things I had on hand.

Admittedly, I didn’t have everything –  just like in life, you gotta improvise sometimes. So, instead of lentils (why am I out of lentils?!), I used a can of garbanzo beans. And, instead of Granny Smith apples, I used Fuji. The last of the summer squash from my garden rounded everything out, and, a last minute decision to add some cooked Trader Joe’s multigrain pilaf was a tasty decision.



I have been doing the “Insanity” workout challenge – stay tuned for a review in another couple months – and this was the perfect recovery meal after a workout. I started it before the workout, and the fact that it was ready to go and simmering on the stove when I was done made it even better. After Insanity, the last thing you really want to do is cook. And now, I have dinner for several more days – bonus!

Make this stew for a very comfort-food taste in a short period of time!

Vegetable Stew

Recipe Source: Active.com



Time Required: 10-15 minutes to prep, 35 minutes to simmer

The Cook’s Taster Rating (out of 5): 4.5. This stew is amazing! You won’t believe how good a cooked apple is in a stew with sweet potatoes and squash. I subbed garbanzo beans for the lentils, and I have to say, I think I liked it better because of the chickpeas than I would have with lentils. Filling and deee-lish!

Nutritional Info:

For the original recipe as directed, however, it says it only yields two servings – there is no way! This is at least 4-6 servings, so take with a grain of salt:

410 calories; 9 g fat (1 g saturated, 0 g trans fat); 67 g carbohydrate, 22 g fiber, 19 g sugar, 20 g protein



For my modified version with one can of chickpeas instead of lentils and one cup of cooked multigrain pilaf, only one apple, no added salt and with (5) 2 cup sized servings.



View Comments (2)

  • Hey .. interesting that you would bring up the Insanity Workout Challange .. just day before yesterday Kamal had heard about it and was showing indications of wanting to try it .. would love to know what you think about it.
    Its always great to read you writing!!!

    • Hi Chandana,

      Insanity is definitely a challenge! I am three weeks in and it is getting easier (not easy, just easier) each time. If Kamal is reasonably fit already — which I think he is — he might enjoy it for a change. It is definitely not for someone with any kind of back, knee, or cardiovascular issues as there is a lot of jumping (so much jumping!). But, the workouts fly by and the instructor is very engaging. I’ll do a thorough review when I get through the whole program…

Related Post